carey



2 Sheets-Sheet; 1.

(No Model.)

J. D. CAREY. POLISHING MACHINE. No. 541,314. Patented June 18,1895.

mllllllr mmml lilllllilllli UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

JAMES D. CAREY, OF BRANFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR OF ONETIALF TOVILLIAM E. BAILEY, OF SAME PLACE.

POLISHING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 541,314, dated June 18,1895.

Application filed November 19, 1894. Serial No. 529,253. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JAMES D. CAREY, of Branford, in the county of NewHaven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new Improvement inPolishing-Machines; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken inconnection with the accompanying draw ings and the letters of referencemarked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same,and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, andrepresent, in

Figure 1, a plan view of one form which a polishing-machine constructedin accordance with my invention may assume; Fig. 2, a view thereof infront elevation; Fig. 3, a view of the machine in vertical section onthe line a b of Fig. 1; Fig. 4, a View on the line 0 d of Fig. 3; Fig.5, a detached view in side elevation of one form of movable blocks,together with the cushion, work-holder, depending post, and shoes; Fig.6, a View on the line of of Fig. 5; Fig. 7, a detached plan view of thedial; Fig. 8, a similar view of the stationary bed containing theoperating-groove.

My invention relates to an improved polishing machine, designed withparticular reference to polishing the leaves of hinges, escutcheons andother small articles of similar character, but also adapted to be usedin polishing much larger articles if desired, the ob ject of myinvention being to produce a simple, convenient and etfective machine,having a wide range of adjustment and adaptation, and in which thearticles are automatically presented to the several polishingwheels,whereby a great economy of labor is effected.

\Vith these ends in view my invention consists in a polishing-machinehaving certain details of construction and combinations of parts, aswill be hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

As herein shown and described, the machine is provided with threepolishing-wheels, but that number may be varied, as required by thecharacter of the work to be done. The said machine employs a series ofsmall blocks A, each of which is provided with a two-part holder,consisting, as herein shown, of a fixed, grooved clamping-plate B, and amovable clamping-plate B, dovetailed into the plate B, and normally heldin its open position by means of one or more springs Z) interposed between the two plates. Between the holder and the upper face of theblock, I by preference locate a rubber-cushion C, which is firmlysecured to the block, and permits the holder to yield in something thesame manner that the hand yields in hand-polishing. The holder itselfwill vary in form and construction, according to the character of thework to be done, my design beingthat each machine shall be provided witha series of holders adapted to be interchangeably applied to the smallblocks, as required. The said blocks are mounted upon and rotated with,a horizontally revolving dial D, which is supported upon fou r smallanti-friction rollers c, mounted in and standing slightly above the faceof a circular stationary bed E. Each of the blocks A is provided with adownwardly projecting post 1 or stem A, furnished at its lower end witha shoe, consisting, as shown, of a horizontally arranged plate A and twoanti-friction rollers A A applied to the lower face thereof. 1 do notlimit myself, however, to constructing the shoe as described. For theclearance of the posts A of the respective blocks, the revolving dial isarmed with radially arranged elongated slots D,-of which there is onefor each block. The shoes of the blocks travel in an operating groove,adapted to receivethem, and formed in the upper face of the bed E, thesaid groove having straight portions E, E and E and curved portions E, Eand E. The said groove 1 term the operating groove, because it shapesthe course of the blocks as the dial rotates. The dial is rotated bymeans of a vertically arranged spindle F, passing centrally upwardthrough it, and also centrally upward through the bed E, and furnishedat its lower end with a beveled wheel E, which is meshed into by abevel-pinion F mounted upon the driving-shaft F which is furnished witha driving-pulley F to which power is communicated in any convenientmanner. As the dial revolves, the shoes of the blocks travel along inthe operating-groove,the straight portions E, E and F of which compelthe blocks to travel in a straight line under the polishingwheels G, Gand G which, we will say, are coarse, medium, and fine. These wheels aremounted upon the innerends of horizontally arranged spindles H,journaled at their outer ends in carriages I, mounted for longitudinalmovement upon beds 1' which in turn are mounted so as to be verticallyadjusted in the frame J of the machine. The spindles of the wheels G andG are each provided with a long drum H, over which run belts H H alsorunning over pulleys I-1 H mounted upon the main shaft FAdjusting-screws 1 connected at their inner ends with the respectivecarriages I, are mounted in the outer ends of the movable beds 1', formoving the carriages longitudinally thereon. Vertically arrangedadjustingscrews J, carrying hand-wheels J are mounted in the frame ofthe machine, so as to impinge at their upper ends against the underfaces of the opposite edges of the beds 1, whereby the same may bevertically adjusted, as required, to accommodate wheels varyingindiameter, owing to variations inthe thickness of their polishingsurfaces or to variations in the sizes of their bodies. In order toguide the beds 1 in being raised andlowered, as described, each isprovided with a depending box-like, rectangular frame 2', through whichthe belt I-Ppasses. The wheels G and G are driven directly from themain-shaft, but

the wheel G is driven from a shaft F furnished at its forward end with apinion F which meshes into the bevel-wheel F. For co-operation with themovable clamping plates of the holders shown herein, I employ threecorresponding springs K, attached to the machine-frame near the edges ofthe dial, and under the several wheel-carrying spindles.

Having now described the construction of one form which a polishingmachine constructed in accordance with my invention may assume, I willproceed to describe its operation.

The attendant standing in front of the machine, applies escutcheons, letus say, to the holders of the several blocks as they are brought aroundto the front of the machine by the revolution of the dial. Then when theshoe of a block enters the outer end of the straight portion E of theoperating groove, the shoe will be forced to move in a straight path,causing the block to turn into the plane of the wheel G, and pass underthe same in a perfectly straight line, during which time the exposedsurface of the escutcheon will be polished bythe said wheel, which, itwill be understood, is being rotated in an opposite direction from thatin which the block is moving. I may here remark that just before theblock passes under the wheel, its movable clamping-plate B is engagedwith the spring K, secured to the frame J of the machine, under thespindle of the wheel G. This spring acts upon the outer edge of themovable clamping-plate B of the holder of the block, so as to force thesame inward, and cause it to firmly grip and hold the escutcheon inplace, whereby the escutcheon is automatically gripped, and firmly heldduring the poladjacent end of the straight portion E of the groove, thesaid portion standing at a right angle to the straight portion E alreadymentioned. The said portion E of the groove causes the block, throughthe medium of its shoe, to move in a perfectly straight line under thepolishing-wheel G, which also revolves in an opposite direction from thedirection in which the escutcheon is moved. The spring K correspondingto the spring K located under the spindle of the wheel G, now acts uponthe clamping-plate of the holder to grip the work while passing underthesaid wheel. The shoe of the said block then enters the curved portion E?of the groove, which causes the shoe, and hence the block, to turn intoposition'to enter the straight portion E of the groove, the said portionE being at a right angle with the portion E thereof, but parallel withthe portion E thereof. The said portion E of the groove acts upon theblock through the medium of its shoe, to cause the escutcheon to bepassed in a straightline under the final polishing-wheel G which isfiner than either the wheel G or G. The spring K under the spindle ofthe wheel G again engages with the movable clampingplate B, and causesthe work to be gripped and held while passing under the said wheel. Fromthe straight portion E of the groove, the slide enters the long curvedportion E thereof, and is again brought around to the attendant, whoremoves the polished escutcheon, and replaces it with another, and soon. It will thus be understood that the machine automatically presentsthe articles to the several wheels employed for polishing.

It will be readily understood, also, that by means of my improvedmachine, a great economy of labor is effected, inasmuch as one personcan attend to one machine containing several polishing wheels. The rateat which the dial is revolved with reference to the rotation of thepolishing wheels, will be varied according to the character of the workbeing done, but of course the wheels will rotate very rapidly, while thedial will be rotated very slowly.

It is clear in carrying out my invention that some changes in theconstruction shown and described may be made, and I would therefore haveit understood that I do not limit myself to the exact form represented,but hold myself at liberty to make such changes and alterations asfairly fall within the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what IIO I claim as new, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an automatic polishing machine, the combination with a stationarybed containing an operating groove, comprising straight and curvedportions, of a rotating diallocated directly above the said bed, smallblocks carried by the dial, and having depending posts carrying shoes,which travel in the groove of the bed; and polishing wheels arranged torotate in line with the straight portions of the groove, substantiallyas set forth, and whereby the blocks are caused to move in a straightline by the straight portions of the grooves, under the respectivewheels.

2. In an automatic polishing machine, the combination with a stationary,horizontal bed constructed with a groove formed in its upper face, andcomprising straight and curved portions; of polishing wheelsrespectively extending inward over the edge of the bed above thestraight portions of the groove, work-carrying blocks provided withposts entering the said groove, which gives special direction to themovement of the blocks, and means for moving the blocks to cause theposts to make the' circuit of the said groove, substantially asdescribed.

3. In a polishing machine, the combination with a stationary horizontalbed,constructed with a groove formed in its upper face and comprisingstraight and curved portions, ofa revolving dial located above the saidbed in the plane thereof; small movable blocks mounted upon the dial andprovided with depending shoes located in the groove of the bed andtraveling therein; polishing wheels also located above the dial andarranged in line with the straight portions of the said groove, andmeans for adjusting the said wheels vertically and laterally and fordriving them, substantially as set forth.

t. In a polishing machine, the combination with a stationary,horizontalbed constructed with a groove formed in its upper face, and comprisingstraight and curved portions; of a revolving dial located above the saidbed and in the plane thereof, work-holding blocks mounted upon the dial,and provided with depending posts entering the said groove in the bed,and, as the dial revolves, making the circuit of the groove which givesspecial direction to the movement of the blocks, holders carried by theblocks for gripping the work, cushions located between the said holdersand the bearing of the blocks upon the dial, and polishing wheelsextending inward over the straight portions of the groove in the dial,substantially as set forth.

5. In an automatic polishing machine, the combination with a movableblock, of a workholder carried thereby, and means fixed to the frame ofthe machine for acting upon the work-holder so as to cause the same togrip the work while the same is being polished, substantially asdescribed.

6. In an automatic polishing machine, the combination with a movableblock, of a workholder applied thereto and comprising a movableolamping-plate, and a spring connected with the machine frame inposition to engage with the said plate for closing the same to grip thework preparatory to the subjection of the work to polishingaction,substantially as described.

7. In a polishing machine, the combination with a stationary bed, havinga groove com prising straight and curved portions formed in its upperface, of a dial located directly over the said bed in the plane thereof,and constructed with clearance slots, small movable blocks supportedupon the said dial and provided with depending posts passing through thesaid slots therein, and furnished at their lower ends with shoesentering the groove in the said bed and comprising antifriction rollerswhich engage with the side walls of the groove and turn the blocks tocause them to follow the course thereof, substantially as set forth, andwhereby the blocks are caused to move in a straight line by the straightportions of the grooves.

8. In a polishing machine, the combination with a polishing wheel, of ahorizontally ar ranged spindle for carrying the said wheel, a carriagein which the spindle is mounted, a vertically adjustable bed on whichthe carriage is longitudinally movable, and which is constructed with adepending, boX-like, rectangular frame through which the belt passesupward to the spindle, and means engaging with the opposite edges of thesaid bed for adjusting the same vertically, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

JAMES D. CAREY.

Witnesses:

FRED. C. EARLE, LILLIAN D. KELSEY.

